Portraits by Leoni Bolt Photography
Choosing a Personal Branding Photographer
With the rise of so many entrepreneurs Personal Branding Photography has become a necessity for anyone wanting to start or build their business.
People buy from people, and you need to build the Know, Like, Trust factor with your clients.
First impressions are everything and even if we don’t know that we are doing it, we will all judge someone within seconds of meeting them (or seeing them online).
Personal Branding Photography is a crucial element creating your brand, just like a great website or logo. It is critical that you get this right or you’re audience won’t resonate with what you are trying to say. The images we use have the greatest impact on our audience and we need to ensure they are telling our authentic story and are on brand.
When you’re investing in your personal brand it’s essential that you get it right.
Here are my few tips on choosing your Personal Branding Photographer:
- Make sure they see and understand your vision and can tell your story
- Make sure you connect with them and they make you feel comfortable
- Can help you achieve the polished look you’re after by making you feel confident and look amazing!
- They are creative and can think outside the box
- Is able to work to your requirements – What does your website need, do you need negative space for text, do you need to be facing a certain way, do you need to be able to cut them out easily and repurpose them.
- Can assist with how to create and repurpose your content.
Personal Branding Photography is not just about headshots. You audience wants a little insight into your life and your business. Show what you do on a daily basis, where you live, where you work from. Your customer wants to see what you value as well as what you do. You need to create a suite of personalised images that tell your story. Think about how you can repurpose your content across your print, web and social media. Do you need content for Instagram, infographics, Pinterest, blog posts?
These are just some of the key areas you want to consider when creating a library of images that you can pull from any time you need it:
- Profile Photos
- Email footer
- Slide Stacks
- Website – about me
- Social Media Posts
- Events (networking, workshops)
- Sales Pages and Funnels
- Media Kit – what happens when you get asked to speak at an event last minute or have a piece in a magazine. If you have your suite of images ready you won’t be stressed about getting something done last minute. Just email it through!
If you want to have a chat with me about your requirements you can book in a Branding Clarity Review
or
If you want to get my tips on building your social media influence, you can download my DIY Social Media Toolkit
5 tips for getting great Christmas photos this year.
5 tips for getting great Christmas photos this year.
Christmas is a time of year when friends and family have the opportunity to spend time together where most of us lead such busy lives these days.
While it’s great to get those social media shots that show everybody having a great time, we all know that’s not the reality.
Be the star of the day and capture all of the those precious moments, from the kids unwrapping their presents to an elated Grandma holding her grandchild. Be the one that can give the whole family the gift of those memories.
Christmas Day photography tip #1
Paint with Light
Professional photographers will tell you that the most important element to getting a great photo is great lighting.
We all know the kids will be up before the sun checking under the Christmas Tree to see what Santa has brought for them, so think ahead about your lighting.
Natural light is always the most beautiful so if you’re lucky enough that the sun is shining open up the curtains. Have the light coming in from the side rather than from behind.
If you do need to use a flash, it is always more flattering to bounce it off the roof or a wall than to shoot straight on. This prevents faces being too bight and harsh shadows.
Christmas lights!! Play with them! See if you can capture those colours, shoot through them or capture the tree through the window. It can be exciting to get some fun photos incorporating the Christmas lights.
Tip #2
Details
Think like a wedding photographer – capture all of the details of the day. Capture the decorations being put up, the meals being prepared, the guys around the bbq, the table setting, the presents, the water play.
Tip #3
Point of View
Have you ever noticed in the movies how the best angles are the point of view of somebody else, or coming from a different perspective. Photograph from everywhere except where you would be naturally. Kids opening presents? Lie down on the floor or stand on a chair looking down. Food prep in the kitchen? Get down on the bench with the knife working away in the foreground. If you have aperture and macro settings play with them. Low apertures (f2.8, f4) will have the background drop off quickly from the subject. Want to capture all the scenery – bring it up to something higher (f11) If you’re taking a group shot bring it up to f8 to ensure everyone is in focus, but still try and get everyone as close together
Jeff Wasserman/Stocksy United
Tip #4
Avoid a double chin
Want to make sure you look great in every photo? Never stand straight onto the camera. Push your neck out like a turtle. Out and down. This prevents a double chin and still creates a shadow under your chin making you look slimmer.
Tip #5
Get a great group photo
When you’re trying to get everyone together for a group photo, the trick is to get them all in as close as possible. Have everyone turn slightly to the middle and put their weight on the back leg. If you need to create layers due to the amount of people in your photo, try to keep everyone’s faces as close to the same plane as possible i.e if your were to stand to the side they would all be in on the same line.
We hope these tips help you to get some fabulous photos this Christmas!! We hope you get to be in some of those photos too!
If like me you never end up in the photos yourself you can always book a session with us to be sure you can be part of the memories too!
Even professional photographers have to hire other photographers sometimes!
We are currently running a special on Gift Vouchers at 40% off for Christmas. So if you would like something to hang on the wall with everyone in it, or you think somebody else might like it as a gift, you can grab them on our site here.
Christmas Gift Vouchers
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
From the team at Bolt Studioz xx
Christmas Mini Sessions
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Photographing Newborns Without a Studio
When it comes to shooting Newborns, you can pretty much set up anywhere as the ‘studio’ only needs to be quite small.
I make a point of offering to shoot my clients babies in their own home, as being a mother myself I understand just how hard it can be getting out of the house in those first few weeks! Especially when everyone wants to visit and see the gorgeous new baby! Then there is also the matter of whether mum is able to drive after giving birth.
I usually set up at least a couple of different set-ups which can be easily adjusted to get a few different looks in without upsetting baby too much.
Before you start there are a couple of things that will help you keep bubs asleep and cosy, which is what you need when working with a newborn. The main reason for this, is if you’ve ever tried to photograph a newborn, you will notice their arms and legs go everywhere and they make all sorts of strange and wonderful expressions with their mouths. Although this can be cute, it’s very hard to get the adorable shots we’re after! Firstly make sure the room is really warm. I usually work in about 28-30 degrees celcius. This can get uncomfortable for the adults in the room, but baby will be nice and cosy. You can always use a under blanket heating pad, and I also find if you’re using an oil heater in the room, you can pop a blanket over it for a minute to put over the baby once you have them positioned to make sure they settle. Secondly the use of white noise will help them settle as well. You may need to feed baby several times throughout the shoot to keep them sleeping. Having a bottle and/or dummy on hand can be helpful as breastfeeding and then repositioning the baby means you need to essentially start all over again. I always allow about 4 hours for a newborn shoot as you never know how it’s going to work out. Even if you are the baby whisperer!
I have a couple of adorable canvas backdrops perfect for babies, that consist of a vintage wallpaper and floorboards all printed on one piece of canvas. I have a couple of different skirting boards that I then clip to where the designs join and ‘viola’, an instant backdrop! These are great as they are very portable and can be setup anywhere where you can find some wall space. I use masking tape to keep it all secure as the tape won’t peel off paint or varnish. You can also use a backdrop stand but I find they sit better when secured to the wall.
newborn
The second setup I have ready to go is a draped fabric over a beanbag. I’m always on the lookout for beautiful textured fabrics that will work well. I will layer them up for a quick changeover, and use other wraps and fabrics to position the baby exactly where I want them. Finding the right fabrics and beanbags can be quite hard. The beanbag needs to be really firm, so that they don’t sink into it too much. You also need to take into account that a naked baby will probably pee, poop or spew all over everything, so make sure they can be easily washed. I recently found an outdoor square beanbag which is perfect for this.
I always have a black backdrop handy in case we need to set up something for the whole family. It also comes in handy if you want to get some shots of mum or dad holding the baby and you only want to see their arms.
Here dad has black sleeves but his shirt was white, so we picked up the backdrop from the floor and clipped it to his shoulders.
Depending on the location you may not need a backdrop. Here we just used the curtain in the family home.
These family shots have been photographed using a softbox, but when photographing newborns, it’s always best to try and use natural light where possible. If you are in a room where it’s not possible to use natural light, or it’s just not the right time of day, you can reflect a studio light off a wall or a reflector for a similar effect.
These are just a few tips I have learnt along the way. I hope you find them helpful in photographing your newborns.
If you want to book a newborn session with me just fill in the contact form below.
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Family Fun at Fort Lytton
Fort Lytton Family Shoot
I love when people come to me with great ideas for their photos! When this cute little family asked if we could go out to Fort Lytton, I was very excited on what we might get.
Although access can be quite restrictive and it was a really windy day, we had lots of fun and got some great family photos.
Fort Lytton is an old military defence facility on the Brisbane River out near the Port Of Brisbane, dating back to the 1800’s. It’s a great place to explore the underground bunkers and feels a bit like your stepping into the Lord of the Rings. Fort Lytton is open to the public on Sundays and is free admission.
Visit the website for more fun family photos
Family portraits can be done in the studio or out on location in your favourite place. If you would like me to capture your family memories I would love to meet you!
Please contact me for more information on bookings.
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Boudoir Marathon
Ladies, Ladies, Ladies – come and join me and my all female team for a weekend full of sexy Boudoir Photography shoots. With dates set in January, just in time to get your loved one something sexy and beautiful (and all about you!).
This is available to girls of all sizes as there are so many ways to get sexy and seductive and still cover up those bits you don’t like.
Location is still to be confirmed, but we are looking at several luxury apartments in Brisbane City.
To book or for more details email mail@leoniboltphotography.com or fill out the contact form below.
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Cake Smash Photo Shoot
Dusty-Mae’s Cake Smash
On Dusty-Mae’s 1st birthday we headed on down to the local park for some cake smashing fun & games. Here are some photos from the day!
1st Birthday Cake-Smash Photography Sessions include 10 professionally retouched high resolution images as well as a 16×16 digital collage like the one at the beginning of the page.
A cake is also included and can be decorated to suit the style of your photo shoot. Dusty-Mae’s mum made this beautiful cake as Dusty-Mae has a lot of allergies. We can cater for basic allergies but depending on your child’s needs you are welcome to supply your own.
If you would like to know more about our cake smash sessions or any of our other packages please contact us using the form below.
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Maternity & Newborn Photography – what you need to know!
For those of you who know me, you may or may not know that I’m 38 weeks pregnant and am supposedly sitting around waiting for the arrival of baby number 2. If you know this much you would probably also know that the likeliness of me just sitting back and relaxing and not coming up with some new project that will consume a massive amount of time and energy is close to zero! Well your right I can’t just chill out and watch daytime tv – but instead I am focusing my energy into the newborns and pregnant mums that have come to see me recently.
Photographing baby bumps and babies that are just days old is so rewarding, as it is such a special time and oh so short!
Carrying around that pregnant belly or rocking your baby to sleep can sometimes feel like the longest journey, but once it’s over it’s just a distant memory, making way for all the new and exciting milestones to come. It is a really special part of a photographer’s job (and the reason why we love what we do!) being able to share those incredible moments and memories with you.
I want to share with you some hints and tips for your maternity or newborn photos that will get you prepared before you arrive at the studio.
Initially you may not feel like you want to get semi naked in front of anybody when you are considering maternity photography, and hey you don’t have to if you really don’t want to! There are many ways to show off that gorgeous baby bump and pregnancy glow, and you can always include your partner and/or other kids as well. Photo shoots out on location can be a very relaxed and free spirited way to get in touch with that maternal instinct, and in the studio you can really make magic happen with the help of lighting. We can also do a combination of both and I am happy to travel to you if you are more comfortable in your own home.
On location maternity photography
Ok I’m ready! So what do I need to know?
The best time to get your maternity photos done is generally between 32 & 38 weeks, depending on your personal situation. I have even photographed pregnant ladies at 20 weeks only to find out a few weeks later they have had complications and have been ordered to strict bed rest. 32-38 weeks means you’ll really have a bump to show off and hopefully your hands and feet haven’t started swelling (oh the joys of pregnancy!) Listen to your body and be sure to let your photographer know if you are uncomfortable or need to stop for a minute. Although you won’t be expected to perform any acrobatics, standing around in front of studio lighting can really have an effect on your unbalanced body. If you need to stop and have a break, sit down, have some water or go out for some fresh air. We don’t need you fainting during your photo shoot!
Maternity photography is really quite basic when it comes to what you need to get organised. The general rule is keep it plain. Maternity photography is all about your belly, and your natural glow, not about your fancy accessories or new lippy. If your in the studio plain black and white always works, in fact be sure to take both to give yourself more variety. If you have a white mens button up shirt bring that along too! There are always ways to use the draping of different materials to create different looks and textures and you can bring along any props such as teddy bears or blocks that spell bub’s name to include as well. Unless you’re outside on location you probably won’t need to choose other clothes, but flowing dresses or jeans and white tops are always a good place to start.
maternity tryptich
Of course after the maternity shoot along the comes the newborn, the anticipated bundle of joy that will change your lives forever!
One thing you need to be aware of with a newborn is that nothing ever goes to plan! Want to make a booking, but not sure of exact dates? Most photographers are very understanding and flexible when it comes to newborns. If you give them an approximate date they’ll be expecting your call once your baby is born.
Baby girl in a tutu
Newborns are best photographed within the first 2 weeks of their lives, when they are still new and fresh (and sometimes wrinkly and flakey – especially if they’ve been overcooked!). The main reason for this is that they should still be mostly sleeping, which makes it easier to capture their innocent sleeping beauty. To be able to achieve this you need to be patient! Sometimes a photography session with a newborn can take up to 4 hours, although we try not to do this to you as everyone especially the baby can get over it by this point! Depending on your baby, if they are sleeping pretty well through the night, mornings are easiest as they can be a bit more tolerant. We all know about the ‘witching hour’ come afternoon. Don’t know what I’m talking about? I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough lol!
Babies are best started off with a full belly, so feed your baby while the photographer is setting up or as you get there. Don’t worry we can wait – and we’ve all dealt with breastfeeding mums. While your feeding the baby, loosen his nappy to help get rid of excess marks – although any unwanted creases, blemishes and peeling skin can be retouched in Photoshop afterwards. Be sure to give baby a good burp after his feed, to keep them as content as can be. If you can pump breastmilk, of if baby is bottle fed have one on hand as it’s easier to settle a baby once in position with a bottle.
If you are having the photos done at home, don’t stress about the mess! You’ve just had a baby – we don’t care about the state of your house! Ideally if you are having the photos done at home find a spot close to the window as natural lighting tends to work best. Babies can get disturbed by too many flashing lights! The environment should also be reasonably warm as when you start peeling clothes off baby they won’t like it much, especially if it’s cold.
Sometimes the smell of mum can be a distraction too so it’s always good to have another set of hands if they are available.
baby girl holding mum’s ring
I have several packages on offer so that you can combine your Maternity and Newborn photo shoots as well as through the first year of your baby’s life. In the first year your baby will go from a precious little bundle to a crazy toddler – leaving you wondering where your baby has gone? Be sure to capture all of those special moments and finish the year with a bang with our new 1 yr old cake smash!
If you want to check out more of my work with babies and bumps head on over to this gallery: Maternity & Bubs
If you would like more information on my packages for mums & bubs send me an email:[contact-form-7 id=”152890″ title=”Contact form 1″]
Pin-up Shoot with Little Vintage Dolls
Meet the Little Vintage Dolls! Creative designer duo Ana & Sammz & their stunning cover girl Bambi are in to all things Vintage & Pin-up.
We had heaps of fun dressing up and showing off their latest designs in Rockabilly hair accessories. Catch them this Saturday the 15th September at Modified Markets at the North Lakes Community Centre and get your big hair on!
Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Littlevintagedollsofficial
Leoni Bolt Photography offers Pin-up Photography Sessions and Packages and we can organise hair and make-up as part of your package.
To check out the latest @ Leoni Bolt Photography come by the Facebook Page!
https://www.facebook.com/LeoniBoltPhotography
Contact us to book your photography session!
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Cutest baby photos ever!
Photographing newborns is an amazing thing. Each little person so new to the world, getting used to their surroundings.
Ideally you want to photograph newborns in the first 10-14 days of their new life, when they’re still sleepy from their long, hard journey and easy to position. This is not always possible, but you quickly notice how alert they can be suddenly, when you have lots of people around and potentially studio lights flashing in their faces.
Natural lighting is always best when photographing newborns, but is not always possible, depending on the weather and the positioning of the windows and lighting. If you want to see how I have done newborn shoots in confined spaces using studio lighting to replicate natural lighting as much as possible check out this other blog post.
Newborns can take anywhere from 1-4 hrs as it completely depends on the baby and how settled they are throughout the shoot. They may need to be fed, burped, changed several times throughout to keep them happy and settled.
It’s always a good idea to get baby dressed in their first outfit before feeding and then settling them, and having a great workflow helps to not having to move them around too much and disturb their slumber. You can do lots of different angles and slight body movements in one setup for a range of different looks.
I generally have at least 2 setups ready to go so I can just gently move the baby from one setup to the next. I generally save the family photos until last as it’s much easier to deal with a baby that’s getting over it when mum or dad is snuggling up to them. Mum and dad should dress accordingly so that everyone matches to some degree, and plain colours are always nice and simple to work with and not too distracting. Siblings are always encouraged to come along as well, but it can take a long time and be quite boring for them, so just be prepared.
Taking baby photos is something I’m enjoying more and more since becoming a mother myself. I love meeting these brand new people and following along in their life’s adventures.
I have all inclusive packages from Maternity through to 1st birthday Cake Smash photos.
If you would like to enquire about a newborn photo shoot, please fill in the contact form below.
I hope you enjoy this cuteness in your day!
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